BY RIZWAN REHMAT
DOHA: British cycling legend Sir Bradley Wiggins yesterday finished a dismal third in the Tour of Qatar individual time trial but the former Tour de France champion casually discounted the fact that he couldn’t manage a win in his favourite class.
Riding his custom-built Pinarello Dogma F8 road bike at the wind-exposed 10.9km track, Sky giant Wiggins finished behind stage winner and golden jersey owner Niki Terpstra (14:03) and time trial arch-rival Fabian Cancellara (+8secs).
“It was very difficult, yeah. You know on road bikes you are not used to that kind of power and it was different for everyone. I was pleased to be fairly close to him (Cancellara) even though it’s a couple of seconds,” Wiggins said outside his team camp at Losail International Circuit.
“This time last year I was scraping at the back of the routine. I always come back and think where I am in preparation because you go on the start line like this and you expect to be the way you were at the world championship or whatever,” Wiggins said.
“I think it is all part of the bigger picture. April is a long way away. I am so pleased to be so close (to the winner) today,” the 2014 World Road Championship winner added.
The most decorated Olympian said it is tough to predict a race outcome so early in the season.
“Like I said at the start you don’t know how everybody will start. (I have) seen Fabian here a few times — sometimes he’s been in the last group every day, sometimes he’s like on fire like he was today,” Wiggins said.
“We haven’t had any race other than the world championship. You don’t know where everyone’s at. Same for myself. So much training through the winter. Only a month ago you were drinking and getting fat on Christmas and come here and try to do a world class performance. You just don’t know,” he added.
“Unfortunately the cycling world puts a massive emphasis on this race but I think everyone in a different stages of preparation at this stage. The likes of (Tom) Boonen are always good here. Fabian has been up and down over the last few years here,” the Briton said.
Wiggins said retaining his UCI Road World Championship title was still important to him.
“Yeah, of course (I want to win win the world championship),” Wiggins said.
“It is always a dream. It is still a process to go through the time trial whether you are a world champion or not. It doesn’t always work out,” he said after finishing in third spot yesterday.
Wiggins said he will be casting an eye at the classics as he builds momentum in what will be a key year for the Briton ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
“This Paris-Niece, the Paris–Roubaix - well, there are a few more opportunities,” Wiggins said as he builds his time trial confidence.
Wiggins said he will be featuring at classics like the E3 Harelbeke in Belgium along with his Sky team-mates later in the season.
“It’s all different races but you got to have that mentality. But just to be with that group — not just me preparing for Paris-Roubaix — guys like Ian and Luke who have got golds in other races,” Wiggins said.
“It is part of being in that group and doing a job for those guys and being a good team-mate. So when my turn comes, they obviously repay it.
“Rouabix is so unpredictable. It’s like coming through the
mess, the carnage to get to a position where you can use your physical form. In time trial you can predict. In Roubaix you
can crash five times and come back.
“I just love the race. It was a real honour to be with those
guys last year. It has got nothing to do with proving anything. Roubaix is so unpredictable,” Wiggins said.
“I love to moonwalk as well but there are certain things you can’t do certain things life (laughs). You just have to accept that I may never win Roubaix,” he added.
THE PENINSULA
